The Dirty Water Act Fails

Today the Senate failed to advance S 1140, a bill that would have blocked the Clean Water Rule and forced the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to restart the rulemaking process. The Clean Water Rule finalized by the Agencies earlier this year restored important protections against pollution and destruction for streams, lakes, wetlands and other vital water resources.

Bob Wendelgass, President and CEO of Clean Water Action, released this statement:

“The millions of Americans who care about commonsense clean water protections won today. Thanks to clean water champs in the Senate, the Dirty Water Act failed to move forward. This is a huge victory for our water and communities across the country.

S. 1140 would have been a waste of time and taxpayer money. EPA and the Army Corps spent more than two years developing science-based safeguards. The Agencies hosted over 400 meetings with stakeholders and received more than 800,000 public comments in support of the Clean Water Rule. Starting the process over would have guaranteed less public participation and weaker protections, if any, for our water. We thank leaders like Senator Boxer, Senator Cardin, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Markey, and others for standing against S. 1140 and ensuring that it failed.

But the fight isn’t over. Immediately after failing on S. 1140, the Dirty Water Caucus moved to debate S.J. Res. 22, a resolution that would block the Clean Water Rule and permanently bar EPA from proposing similar protections in the future. We expect a vote on this giveaway to polluters tomorrow. Fortunately, the Obama administration is expected to veto S.J. Res. 22 if it is passed.

Clean Water Action is mobilizing our million members to make sure Senators know that now is the time to protect clean water, not polluters’ bottom lines.”

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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table.